


Where Winter Ends

by Flower_Flame_Princess



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Bucky Barnes Recovering, Hydra (Marvel), Hydra Bucky Barnes, Kid Natasha Romanov, M/M, One Shot Collection, Past Brainwashing, Random & Short, Red Room (Marvel), The Winter Soldier - Freeform, Winter Soldier Bucky Barnes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-15
Updated: 2020-06-16
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:01:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24735091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flower_Flame_Princess/pseuds/Flower_Flame_Princess
Summary: A collection of One-Shots about Bucky Barnes, both when he is the Winter Soldier, and when he's recovering. The stories are all random, and in no particular order.*He wanted to recall past days of fun and sorrow, shared misery and joy. He wanted to remember more than the sound of glasses clinking together, and beer spilling over the rim. He wanted to have the pictures completed, to have a whole puzzle rather than a few pieces. Coming here may have been a mistake, but even if it was, he did not regret it. He had learned something today, something valuable. He had learned his own name.Bucky Barnes.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Comments: 1
Kudos: 13





	1. Fire and Flames

The calmness that wrapped around his frame like a blanket of eerie silence sent chills up his spine, like thin talons that clawed their way down to turn his stomach around. 

He watched the fire, feeling the burn of flames reaching higher than the building had been, his eyes taking in the blackening wood as it turned to coal. The fire died down, nothing left to consume, until only a pile of smoldering embers were left, the stench of burnt flesh lingering in the air. 

Moving deftly over fallen debris, and weaving around the bodies of those who had left the building quick enough to avoid burning alive, he kept her eyes on the road, clenching the gun in his hand. He had left no traces, not a single indication it was him who had set the thing ablaze and took down anyone who dared to leave before it ended.

They would look, but they would never find.

Heavy boots touched the earth with a lightness one would not expect. A minimum dragging, barely any prints left behind. He tilted his head up, strands of brown hair tumbling down his ears, and he stared up at the auburn sky above, that was tinged with clouds of smoke.

The asset tilted his head back down, blinking once, twice. He stepped aside, listening to the sound of sirens that thrilled in the far distance. He turned around, lifting a foot and he froze. There was a body. A young boy. The asset had not noticed him in the fright and chaos of the moving bodies that hurried to carry themselves to safety. He had merely shot whom he saw, any movement until there was no at all. 

A young boy, with strands of hair so blonde. A frail body, young and skinny. The asset cocked his head, small pieces of debris surfacing in the ocean that was his mind. He tried to grab them, but they were too far away, and he could not reach before they sunk back to the depths, and he picked up his pace. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to remind you again that this won't be full stories, and sometimes they won't even make that much sense, I think. I just really wanted a place where I could dump random thoughts and little stories about the Winter Soldier and Bucky Barnes.
> 
> If you see this story on Tumblr, and it's posted from the account starstruckmyths, don't worry, that's me. I post there as well.


	2. In the Dark

Soft sounds of breaths exhaled spun up at his ears, quick and easy, the noise made through a mouth that was curled up into a smile. It was laughter. The sound of joy, of happiness, the sound one made when they were at ease, when they were not concerned about dying any second. 

There were two voices, both laughing and talking, bubbles of positive emotions that pressed against the darkness, forcing it into a faraway corner. He breathed slowly, waiting for the sound to come closer.

Another sound joins in, the sound of keys jingling, pulled out of a pocket, finding its way into the lock, and the doorknob turned. It was an old, wooden sound, yet with a hint of metal through it. He cocked his head to the side slightly, releasing another breath that had pushed down heavy on his chest. It was as though there was a strap around his chest, making it hard to breathe. He was not supposed to do this, and he knew it. Yet, he was still there.

The moment of laughter and opening the door took too long, waiting was an agony. They suspected nothing, there was no hush or a sudden second of silence. There was an air of easiness around the two, something simple and nice. He wished he could have something like that, have it back, but he doubted that would ever happen.

There were shadows moving underneath the door, a rusty creak as it opened. The shadows moved inside, and for a few seconds, he tensed. There were a thousand variables he had to take into account before even coming here, and one of those was that his target would not be alone. The man he had tracked down, the one he was meeting tonight, he was supposed to be alone. There was not supposed to be a second person.

The soldier did not want to kill anyone tonight, but there could not be a second person.

"Gotta go, Coco, see ya tomorrow," a deep, male voice said, the sound brought from the opened door to the living room. Light spilled inside, revealing some of the furniture set in the room. Metal whirred in silence, mechanical fingers digging into the fabric of the chair it was settled on.

"Aww, c’mon, a few more minutes!" a female voice answered, her sultry tone pleaded, she was smiling, happy, careless. She wanted to stay, stay with the man.

"Sorry, girl, another time," the male said, "My mom said it was urgent, and that it was about my old baby photos. I don’t want you to see those."

There was a light huff. "Awg, fine! Keep your secrets, I’ll find them out someday! You’re a puzzle, and I like to solve those."

"Yeah, yeah, I know." They were both cut off for a moment to share a laugh, perhaps it was an inside joke of some sort, something that called up memories of funny times. The man spoke again, "Oh, we’re still up for bowling night, right?"

"Of course!" the woman answered, "Adam said he’s thrilled to go again! I mean, you’ve been gone for quite a while…"

"If you promise not going to eat your boyfriend’s face again, I can, perhaps, give you some little details."

There was a squeal, and the clapping of hands. "Awesome! I promise! See you then!"

"G’night, Coco."

The door opened wider, more light filtering in, casting a shadow of a tall, lean man. Footsteps came inside, the door closed behind him. There was a chuckle, and then a deep, satisfied sigh. There was some jingling when the man locked the door, shuffling of fabric as he took off his coat. The soldier kept quiet, the other entirely unaware of his presence. Not for long, though.

More footsteps, closing in. The keys were thrown onto a table, clinking loudly. The soldier shifted the slightest bits, the sound only audible for those with enhanced hearing.

"Mom? You there? Why is it so dark in here?"

No answer.

A dark form appeared, still unaware of the unwanted guest occupying his sofa. There was another sigh, footsteps, fingers trailing across a wall to find the light switch. A quiet click sounded through the room, and at once, a bright light filled the soldier’s eyes. He blinked. Once. Twice. 

Stormy eyes filled with ice settled onto the new man in the room, now unblinking, taking in the man’s appearance. The eyes flicked up and down, checking for any weapons or communication devices. A knife in the man’s boot. A phone in the pocket of his pants. Nothing else.

"Mom? Where are –"

The man froze, eyes wide and focused right onto the soldier’s face. His body jerked, flinging itself back so that he hit the wall. It was a soft bump, hands splayed across the surface, heart beating away in his chest. He regained his posture quickly, his face falling into determination and wariness. He came off the wall, hands clenching to fists. The man took a few deep breaths, trying to calm himself. 

"This is… certainly a surprise." He turned his head left and right, gaze darting around the house, then they settled back onto the intruder. "I thought you’d be long gone after… you know."

No answer.

"Steve is looking for you, he really wants to find you."

I know, the soldier thought, but he spoke only silence. The man grew visibly uneasy. The soldier cocked his head to the side, fingers digging further into the fabric of the chair, and he took a quiet breath as the cogs of his mind turned wickedly. A name. A word. A place. Something. Anything. Something to reassure the man that the soldier meant no harm. Not at all. 

"I’m going to call Steve," the man said then, "And let him know you’re here. Is that okay with you?"

The soldier tilted up his head, wishing he had more shadows to cloak himself in. With a voice hoarse of being quiet for so long, creaking slightly at the edges, the soldier said, " _Please_."


End file.
